I know this is a Ranger forum but I thought some of you would be interested in this. I know of a few people who have asked for pics so I figured I may as well post them all up here!

My brother-in-law bought a '97 Cherokee about 2 years ago and over the past year and a bit we've been doing quite a bit of work on it.

Here it is when he bought it for $200. The seller was asking $500 but when we showed up to tow it home with my truck it wouldn't start. He said give me $200 and take it away! Even had a brand new set of snows on it with the white walls out.... lol





I picked up a barely used 3" Rustys lift kit off a local Jeep forum for $325.

 

Being in Southern Ontario and the Jeep having over 300,000km on it meant we had a rust problem! The subframe and all other structural parts were fine but the floors and rockers were completely shot. The passenger side was actually in better shape than the driver's.





Hacked the rest of it and replace it. Pans for '97+ XJ's weren't available so we used the pre-97 ones and made out own seat braces out of 2x2" steel.









A couple coats of bedliner would work a whole lot better than that nasty carpet we took out!

 

All of this was being done shortly after I put the Superlift on my truck so we used the stock 31" BFGs off my truck on a set of 15x8" Pro Comp steel wheels.

 

I picked up a set of home made bumpers of Kijiji for him for his birthday last year for $200. Nice solid bumpers... a good solid place to start and can be easily modified how he wants.

The front one is just bolted on loose... it sits up a lot higher!

 

Next up was to get rid of what was left of those rusty rocker panels. We used 2x6" steel 3/16" thick welded just below the doors and to the subframe. Needless to say it really stiffened the body up!

 

Looking good from the last time I saw it lol

 

The Jeep was nearly ready to finally see the road. Nearly everything was replaced front and back. U-Joints, bearings, brakes, brake lines, etc. We cleaned up and painted most of it and added a Rugged Ridge 1-ton steering kit, BDS track bar and a new steering stabilizer. We also put in some reinforcing plates we got from a shop in Michigan (can't remember the name!).

Before:



After:

 

Another Kijiji deal... picked up a used set of Bushwacker cut-out flares for $125.





The time finally came to take it on it's maiden voyage. Took my truck out with it just in case. Everything worked great... no issues!



Then winter came it not much happened until spring! It spent most of the winter right here..

 

We tried to put my wheels and tires on it but 33" tires on 15x10s were just a little too much. Looked great though!





He's in the middle of putting a cage in it now. It's all in the Jeep - just needs to be bolted/welded into place.

 

Now this is where we're at as of today. I ordered a 6.5" BDS long arm kit for it through work last week and it came in. So far all we have done is the back half. The front will hopefully start next week!

The stock springs were worse than flat... they curved upwards! These ones are much better along with some 1.5" greasable shackles.









That's all for now. I'll post some new pics when the front is done and then some more when we get some bigger meats on there!

 

sick project!

 

Always liked XJ's but they bring up bad memories lol

 

Nice. My co-worker bought one. I can't wait to tear into it with him. He just wants to do a small lift and some 31's. I've been looking at stuff for him.

 

The first lift above will be for sale unless he's talked to someone who has already spoken for it. It was pretty much brand new when I picked it up and it was only on this Jeep for about a year. These 31's will be for sale as well!

 

Why is that?

 

Here's a pic of the kit that's in the garage awaiting install!

 

well quit hanging on the forum and get to it lol!

 

I always heard that lifting XJ's were PITA. so i've never messed with them, besides. i like CJ and YJ's better.
but still, that's a good looking jeep.

 

thats looking awesome man!

 

He's away for the weekend and I'm heading out to clay bar and wax my truck!


Thanks! Still a long way to go but it's coming along!

 

Looks AWESOME.

 

My freind had one as a first car. He got it when he was 15, i was 13 at the time. he had it for about a month, then i got my truck. I went to his house a about 2 months later, pulled up beside him in his driveway talked a few minutes then he decided he was gonna pull away...he almost took my bumper with him. His 33s stuck out about 3" lol

A couple months later i came home from school,went to his house. He wanted to drive down the road. I said okay thats fine with me i guess so we jumped in his jeep drove down the road about 4 miles it had been raining for about 5 minutes. We were going down the road an there was a small bridge, curve before the bridge curve after the bridge. Well after we started going across the bridge a truck was turning on to the bridge. the bridge is about the width of 2 rangers side by side or less. The truck was going about 25 we were going 15. Our tires were almost bald and he tried turning but it didnt work. We hit the truck head on. It pushed the truck into a 3 foot deep ditch. I jumped out to help the man out because i knew him. His wife was my babysitter when i was little. No one was hurt or anything but the guy was an undercover cop in his undercover truck...My friend had to pay a couple grand in fines. I had to go to football practice with whiplash...it sucked

Another XJ another friend. I was parked at his house, he parked behind me. we went inside his house watched tv for a while then he decided he was gonna pull around his house to wash the mud off his jeep. At the time he had a huge bumper on the front of his jeep. It stuck out about 4" past the fender...he snaged my back bumper with his front bumper (same bumper the other jeep hit) It put a beautiful scratch on the chrome and cracked the plastic part...bad momories lol

 

Time for an update. I've been busy working and doing stuff around the house so I wasn't around much for the front part of the lift.... but here's some pics!

 

I found some tires for him on Kijiji the other night so he went to pick them up today. A set of five 33x12.50 Mickey Thompson MTZs on 15x8" Pro Comp Rock Crawlers. Going to have to make a tire carrier next! I'll post up some better pics once it's outside. No driveshafts in it... still need to put the SYE in!

 

Love it! I really want an XJ. As much as I'd love a wrangler its not exactly family friendly. So I am on the look out for an XJ to replace the 04 with.